A/N: Sorry it's short my honey bun wants the computer and he is guilt tripping me into handing it over.
Chapter 6
(Draco pov)
Draco watched as Hermione did her best to fool her friends and tried to not let on that anything out of the ordinary was happening. Draco himself was still a little unsure of what had happened. It was just when Hermione had been so close to him, saying and meaning she felt bad for his mum, Draco had felt a deep bond with her. No one outside of his family had ever been so worried for his mum's well being. It kind of made her sexy in away Draco didn't know was possible. Even now, he found himself wanting to be alone with her so they could kiss again.
"I can go to the kitchen later and grab a bite to eat." Hermione said, moving to the door. "You guys better go, you know Snape would have my badge in a heart beat for any reason he could find." Sure enough, with those words her friends exited as if on fire. He opened both eyes to watch as she sighed to herself. Slowly she stiffened, turning to meat his eyes. "I should go get us some food before it's time." She said, backing out of the room just as her friends had "You want chicken or ham?"
"Doesn't matter, either is fine." Draco said as he watched her turn running from him as if for her life. Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He couldn't understand how she could be so kind and caring towards him. He also couldn't fathom why she would have wanted to hold his hand to make him feel better, yet she could still somehow hate him for the past with all her being. He knew when he kissed her she wanted him too, yet just then, when she was running from him he could see she hated that they had kissed. 'Maybe it was just in the heat of the moment.' He thought as time ticked by.
His food arrived by house elf meaning Granger wasn't coming back anytime soon. 'Wonder if she still plans to hold my hand,' he thought as he ate quietly in the softly lit room. He was used to it in many ways, but as he sat back in his chair he felt upset. Thoughts rolled around his head, filling him up with sadness. The one thought that really bugged him was if Granger thought she might catch something from him from some little kisses. He had told her that that couldn't happen; he wasn't contagious. He just knew in his heart that it was a worry anyone would have if they knew he was sick and they had been in close contact with him.
It was another reason he didn't want people to know he was ill. He had enough trouble making friends as it was. To throw being worried they'd catch some incurable illness from him into the mix would only make a lonely man lonelier. There wouldn't be enough money in the Malfoy bank account to get anyone to come see him for a little while. 'Guess this just confirmed what I feared, no one will stay with me through this…No matter how much they care.'
He heard the clock telling him it was time to get ready even though Granger was still not back. Wiping his face, he went to his room and undressed down to nothing but his boxers. Taking his black robe, Draco looked at his back. At first he had asked they hide the scar from sight, but a few nights back he had told them not to bother. He looked over his shoulder into the mirror as he ran his fingers over the long thick scar. It was an ugly thing to see, but it was the truth in black and white you might say. Slipping his robe on, he tied up the front and pulled on his hood. He headed out the doors and down the hall.
"Malfoy," A soft voice came from behind him as he entered the secret passageway he had been in early with Granger. Draco stopped as he felt a warm hand take hold of his. "I thought it would be better if I waited for you here. You know so people wouldn't think you kidnapped me or something…" Hermione said softly as they walked the rest of the way to the Hospital Wing. Draco was happy she had come to his side even if it was just for tonight.
As soon as he entered the doors the med-witch of Hogwarts was at his side asking him what Hermione was doing there. He explained that Hermione had offered to be some support for him in a way teachers could not be. He let the old bat know he wanted her there and Granger had promised to keep it under her hat.
That was good enough, he guessed, as they where led to the secret operating room. It was as cold as ice because Draco had to be cold while they cut him open.
Hermione was given blankets and a chair to sit in at the head of the table while the med-witch explained a few things to her. "Mr. Malfoy will lie on the steel table in nothing but his boxers. I will then lay frozen blankets over his lower half. It is very important Malfoy stay at 90 degrees for this surgery. The civartival drips must slowly enter the blood stream and move throughout it at a slow pass. If he was to warm, the civartival would become toxic and kill him." While she was explaining that civartival was a type of snack, spider and puffer fish venom mixture, Draco removed his robe and lied on his stomach on the table.
He felt the cold blanket put over him while he put one arm under his head to try and relax as his free hand took hold of Hermione's. "Because of the potency of the civartival we can not administer anything else to him. He will be awake for the duration of the surgery, plus, he will feel every move I make." She walked Hermione through the steps once before she began cutting him open. He closed his eyes tight as he tried to keep his breathing relaxed. Hermione gave his hand a little squeeze to remind him she was there for him.
Once his skin and mussels where open, the med-witch pinned them back out of the way so she could see the bones of his spin. She then slid in magical needle that would administer the civartival throughout his nerve endings, blood stream and skeletal figure. "You can sit here with him, I'll be back to see how the civartival is working in just a few." The med-witch then left the room for a little while.
"That's it, now we just sit here and wait?" Hermione asked as she looked over the handy work the other woman had done.
"Fraid so Granger," Draco said softly, opening his eyes to look at her. She was looking at him, but not like she was interested in him or his pain. It was more like she didn't understand how this helped and she wanted to learn how it did. She gave him a weak smile as she asked if he stayed alone other times waiting for it to work. "Well if there nothing else they can do for me there no need for them to stand around." He answered as she stood up to look at his back once more.
"Draco do you feel that stuff dripping into your body?" Hermione asked, sitting back down "I'm sorry I'm being nosey." That need to understand look washed away. "Its just I've never seen anything like this and I am just curious." She looked caring again and that made him feel better.
"It's ok; it gives us something to talk about." He said back, feeling the need to kiss her again. Time went by faster with Hermione there and the pain didn't seem as bad that night. It wasn't until Hermione and he were back in the heads area did he realize she had actually called him by his first name. He smiled meekly to himself as he called out to her "Good night Hermione."